A Scratch at the Door
by PureAngelEnchantress
Summary: When there's a scratch at the door, what do you do but investigate? However, perhaps caution should be advised.
1. Chapter 1

***AUTHOR'S NOTE* **Hi! :D So I'm really excited to post a story! : ) I've been on fanfiction for awhile, but only reading other people's fics…. Never posting. So it's very exhilarating to actually be writing and posting a story! This is my very first fanfiction ever! So please give me feed back : ) Hopefully it's constructive, but I'm open for anything. Since this is my first fic, I'm intending this to be a oneshot.. but if I get more ideas, I might post other stories that surround this one. I haven't decided. Please read and enjoy! :D

Disclaimer: As much as I would love to say I own Alex Rider, I can't… because it's classified information… yeah… that's why.

**A Scratch at the Door:**

He looked up. "Did you hear that?" he turned to the girl sitting beside him. She looked at him curiously. "Hear what?" she asked looking around. Not wanting to upset her, the boy

smiled, "Oh I thought I heard your mobile go off. I guess not." The girl sat back looking relieved. They went back to watching the movie. The boy smiled and couldn't help a slight roll of the

eyes as Toby Stephens delivered his line "_Are you a gambling man Mr. Bond?_" to which Pierce Brosnan wittily replied, "_If the stakes are right__._" For some reason the boy found these spy

shows funny, in a morbid sort of way.

He waited a few more minutes and then stood up announcing he was going to get a drink from the kitchen. He turned to the girl and asked if she wanted anything. A small smile

crossed his face as he took in the girl's appearance. She sat, her slim, yet curvy figure leaning slightly forward, her entrancing green eyes watching the television, missing nothing. He

enjoyed watching the play of emotions that crossed her face as James Bond just barely got out of a sticky situation. The girl tore her gaze from the TV, blowing her bangs out of her face,

and looked at the boy. Green met brown as her eyes searched his, asking a question that she didn't voice, '_oops_' the boy thought, _'stayed too long'_ he smiled at her again, his serious

chocolate eyes showing a warmth that many thought would never return, a sharp contrast to the cold, stony stare he showed the rest of the world. Then he turned to leave.

His last mission had been quite a doozy. He was left feeling broken, numb, and empty. Until she came into his life. Suddenly he could feel again, hell, he could smile again and not just a

shadow, a real smile. He felt alive and whole, something he couldn't remember feeling ever since this whole nightmare had started. He shook his head and told himself to focus. He really

needed to check out that noise he heard.

When the boy entered the hall he froze for a moment. "There it is again." He mumbled to himself. It sounded like someone was scraping the lock; '_picking the lock'_ he amended. He

heard another noise around back. Instantly he was on full alert. He turned on his heal and walked back to where the girl was seated, still watching the movie. The boy walked up to the girl

and laid his hand on her shoulder. She looked up startled, she hadn't heard him come in. She opened her mouth to chide him for sneaking up on her when she noticed the look on his face,

serious and determined, a cold and calculating stare with a hint of worry hidden deep within his brown chocolaty orbs. He raised his finger to his lips and signaled her to follow. She got up

quietly, his hand still wrapped protectively around her upper arm. He lead her silently to the stairway but just before they started to climb the steps he leaned in and breathed in her ear

"Follow me closely and step only where I step. Try not to make any noise." She nodded her head, her eyes showing him just how scared she really was. He squeezed her arm reassuringly

then dropped down to hold her hand instead. The scraping noise was getting more persistent. Together they climbed the stairs silently, the boy making sure they missed all the creaky

spots. Just as they reached the top and the boy was pulling her into his room, the front door slowly creaked open. _'Good, if they're still trying to be quiet, then they don't realize we've _

_caught on'_ the boy thought.

Once they were in his room he grabbed some items from his bedside table and pulled an object from under his pillow, tucking it into the waistline of his jeans. He walked over to the

window and peered out. He opened it carefully and motioned her over. A creek was heard from the stairs. The intruders were getting close. The boy and girl looked at each other. They had

to hurry. The boy helped the girl climb out the window onto the tree branch just outside.

Someone tried the door knob of his room. Swearing was heard then there was a loud bang in the hall and the door flew open swinging off its hinges. Men dressed in black uniforms and

masks swarmed into the room. All had guns trained on the young man standing by the open window. The young man had his back to them as if he was going to climb out.

The boy looked at the girl and mouthed instructions. "They don't know you're here, stay hidden until they leave. Don't move a muscle because it will attract their attention. Once

they've left, go to the Royal and General bank and tell them what's happened." If the girl was confused about these last instructions, she didn't show it, just nodded and accepted them. Her

eyes glowing with a new determination. 'Part of why I love her so much' the boy thought to himself.

A cold voice from behind spoke up "If you move we will shoot you. Now slowly turn around." With one last glance at the girl, eyes telling her things that words could not, the boy

turned, his face becoming an impassive mask. "Now, slowly bring your hands out to where I can see them" the boy did as he was told, his face giving away nothing, eyes cold as flint. The

cold man smiled a ruthless smile and signaled his men to apprehend the boy. Two of the men in uniform grabbed the boy's arms and held him there. The cold man walked up and hit the

boy on the temple with the butt of his gun. A grunt of pain escaped the young man's lips before he could stop it and the boy sagged in the uniformed men's arms, a line of blood dripping

from where he was hit, a bruise already forming. The cold man had a cruel smile on his face, he allowed a bit of triumph and accomplishment to show in his evil gaze, "Welcome to hell, Mr.

Rider. I hope you will enjoy your stay". And with that Alex passed out.

Thank you so much for reading! Please don't forget to review and tell me what you think! : )

~Rielle


	2. Chapter 2

***AUTHOR'S NOTE* **Hello! :D I know it's been awhile since I posted that first chapter… I'm sorry! Lol remember I'm new at this fanfiction stuff ; ) Actually, I'm just super slow and busy

(two combinations that make for sluggish updates)… Please forgive the amount of time it's taken. I'm kind of a perfectionist and I want to make this first fic a good one. :) Thank you to

everyone who read, reviewed, added me to their favorites, and/or added me to their alerts! It's soooooo exciting to see all the people who have read this and to see your thoughts. It makes

me smile! ^^ Please enjoy the next chapter of A SCRATCH AT THE DOOR! **Send me a review to let me know what you think!** :) Oh! Also, this is an un-beta read story. I'm sorry if

there are any errors that I didn't catch.

**Disclaimer:** Really? You think I own this? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Whew *wipes tears of laughter from her face* that was a good one. ;)

* * *

_**LAST TIME:**_

_ The cold man walked up and hit the boy on the temple with the butt of his gun. A grunt of pain escaped the young man's lips before he could stop it and the boy sagged in the_

_ uniformed __men's arms, a line of blood dripping from where he was hit, a bruise already forming. The cold man had a cruel smile on his face, he allowed a bit of triumph and accomplishment_

_ to show in __his evil gaze, "Welcome to hell, Mr. Rider. I hope you will enjoy your stay". And with that Alex passed out._

_

* * *

_

**Chapter 2:**

Kaylee watched in silent horror as Alex was hit over the head with the butt of a gun and passed out. She was frozen as she saw the men drag Alex from the safety of his room.

She crouched on the tree branch immobile, unsure what to do, as the men hauled an unconscious Alex into a nondescript vehicle. She felt helpless and suddenly very small as they climbed

in after and drove away.

She wanted to cry, scream, shout; anything to get help. But she knew what Alex had told her, "Stay silent and don't move until they're gone." His eyes told her how serious

the situation was. She couldn't understand, why Alex? And his directions were confusing, how would going to a bank help? But she trusted Alex. She would follow his words.

Kaylee carefully climbed down the tree, lowering herself to the lowest branch and then dropping the last foot. _'Should I leave a note for Jack?' _She wondered pausing for a minute to

make up her mind. Jack would worry if she came home to an empty house. But then Kaylee realized she had no idea what to tell the older woman. _'"Hi, Jack! While you were gone (for a _

_whole hour), strange men broke into your house, kidnapped Alex by holding him at gunpoint, and I sat in a tree the whole time watching. Now I'm off to some bank to explain what _

_happened instead of calling the police because Alex mouthed it to me through a window. Hope you have a lovely night! Cheers!" Yeah, that'd go over well.' _Kaylee thought sarcastically. In

the end she decided to leave Jack a note telling her to call when she got in. _'Maybe I'll have figured out a better way to tell her by then'_.

After leaving the note in the kitchen, Kaylee grabbed her purse off the stairs and dug her keys out. She climbed into her car, did a quick search on her phone for the address of The

Royal and General Bank then, after buckling in (Alex was always such a stickler about seatbelts), she backed out of the driveway and made her way to King's Road. After parking she sat and

stared at the slightly intimidating building. '_Would they really be able to help?' _She wondered. She looked at the building again, dark and imposing. Glancing at the time, she worried for a

moment that it would be empty, closed for the night. After all, what banks stayed open past 8:00pm? As she watched, however, she saw what looked like a security guard cross in front of

the glass doors.

With a sigh of relief she climbed out of the car, careful to lock it behind her and made way to the door, tripping slightly on the curve in her haste. She tried the door, which, of course,

was locked. She then resorted to banging on the glass when nothing else would work. The guard quickly came over to see what all the racket was, his hand resting on something by his hip.

Too panicked to pay much attention Kaylee made some desperate gestures for the guard to open the door. The guard touched his ear and said something. His hand relaxed and he let

Kaylee into the lobby of the Royal and General.

In a dark office, 16 floors up two people sat watching a screen with a young woman as the star. The two people recognized the woman immediately, what kind of spymasters would

they be if they didn't? On the desk beside them was a file lying open with a picture of Alex and Kaylee sitting together at a local coffee shop, their hands clasped together over the table. Yes,

they knew who she was. What they didn't know was why Kaylee Wells had decided to grace them with her presence, after normal banking hours no less. From the information they had

gathered, the girl knew nothing. Had they been wrong?

The speaker beside the two MI6 heads buzzed and Agent Noland's voice came through, asking how to proceed. "Let the girl in" was the answer he received. Mr. Blunt and Mrs. Jones

calmly watched the video of the girl, carefully analyzing her every feature, her every move. Something happened, that much was obvious. The question was, what? And how serious.

"Agent Noland, please send Miss Wells to room 1312. We will meet her there shortly." Mrs. Jones spoke into the intercom system. She then bent over the desk and started gathering

up the papers she and Mr. Blunt had been examining.

Agent Noland, after receiving Mrs. Jones' message through his earpiece turned to the girl beside him, "Right this way Ms. Wells." He said escorting her to the nearby elevator. With the

events of the past hour and a half catching up to her, Kaylee was verging on the edge of hysterics. The fact that he had called her by name didn't register as she allowed herself to be

ushered by the man in front of her. She didn't even think to question who he was or where he was leading her or why he wasn't inquiring about her near panicked state. Still too shocked

and scared for Alex to allow any of these thoughts to enter her frazzled mind, Kaylee followed blindly.

* * *

Alex awoke to a pounding headache, something he had grown accustomed to over the years. Working with MI6 could do that to a person. He slowly started to evaluate his current

predicament, gradually remembering the events of the previous night. He sincerely hoped that Kaylee was okay. He wouldn't be able to handle anything happening to her, especially if he

was the cause. With a bit of luck she listened to his instructions and went to the bank to get help. She would be safe there. '_At least she better be.'_ He mentally growled.

Shaking himself of his anxiety over Kaylee '_Worrying over her while I'm stuck god knows where won't do either of us any good',_ Alex decided to get up and check out his surroundings.

He seemed to be in some sort of holding cell, about three feet by four feet. The ceiling was just high enough that he could reach up and brush the top with the tips of his fingers. The floor

was a hard, unforgiving concrete. There was a metal door with a tiny window, _'Maybe eight by six inches?'_ The window had vertical bars attached to it with a sliding cover, operated by the

outside. The door didn't even have a handle on the inside. Alex sighed as he took all of this in. If he had any hope of escape, it would have to happen when he was moved. _'If I'm moved. _

_Maybe they'll just let me waste away in this… place.'_ Alex's mind interjected. Then the more practical part argued back _'They wouldn't have made all that effort to kidnap you if they were _

_just going to let you rot'_.

Alex's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps getting closer. He stopped his inspection of the room and calmly leaned against the wall facing the door. He crossed his arms

casually across his chest, looking for all the world like a kid waiting to be picked up from school. While his body and actions seemed unconcerned and nonchalant, his mind was racing with

different ideas and plans for what was possibly to come. Alex's muscles were tense and his weight was adjusted to the balls of his feet, ready to fight or take flight, whichever he deemed

necessary for the situation, when the time came. The door slowly creaked open and Alex waited with baited breath for his abductors to make themselves known.

* * *

Thanks again to all those who have taken the time to read my story! :) Hope you have a fun and happy holiday season!

Till Next Time!

~ Rielle

P.S. Don't forget to tell me your thoughts! :)


	3. Chapter 3

***Author Side Note* **Hey guys! I'd like to say sorry about the long gaps between updating (and so far everyone has been GREAT, extremely patient!), I'm just gonna lay it out here… I'm really bad at updating in a timely manner. I tend to write in spurts when inspiration strikes. So please continue to be patient with me! :) It might take me a month or so, but I promise that I will continue updating this story until it is complete. One of my biggest pet peeves with fanfiction (and for some reason there seems to be a ton of them in the Alex Rider section) is when I get into a story and then I realize it was never completed and will never be. Okay, now that you've all read my babbling, here's the real Author's note… the one that I wrote before I started this chapter lol

***AUTHOR'S NOTE* **Hi everyone! :) I would first like to say a HUGE thank you to my dear friend kissedbygustav who has helped me TONS with this whole updating/everything else to do with adding stories process. If you ever feel like reading a twilight FF story, you should check her out :) Also thanks to everyone who has read/reviewed/added me to their alerts/favorites. You guys rock my socks! :) Now without further ado, on with the…. disclaimer?

**Disclaimer: **Yes, I have suddenly undergone a significant amount of facial reconstruction and a sex change. I am now a middle-aged man who lives in the UK. NOT.

* * *

_**LAST TIME:**_

_Alex's muscles were tense and his weight was adjusted to the balls of his feet, ready to fight or take flight, whichever he deemed necessary for the situation, when the time came. The door slowly creaked open and Alex waited with baited breath for his abductors to make themselves known._

_

* * *

_

**Chapter 3:**

Jack arrived home around 9:30pm, her arms full of groceries that she and Alex didn't really need. As she walked up the steps to the front door, Jack couldn't help smiling to herself. Alex was happy. After three years of countless suicidal missions and returning a little more broken, battered, and bruised each time, Alex, her ward, her little brother, her family, had _finally_ found happiness. Some of Jack's worry lines were fading and the tension in her shoulders that had been there since Ian's death seemed to be easing away. MI6 hadn't called Alex for just over three months and Kaylee was the best thing that had happened to their small family since Ian was alive. All in all, life seemed to be looking up for her charge, and in turn, for herself.

Jack hummed happily as she propped one of her bags on her hip and dug through her purse. Pulling out a lanyard that held all her keys and key-chains (Alex always made fun of her, "Jack, this thing weighs more than you do; no wonder your purse is so heavy.") Jack flipped through the multi-colored mass in search of the house key. She could just knock, but she didn't want to disturb the happy couple. Jack giggled to herself as she thought about peeking in on Alex and Kaylee before heading upstairs. _'Probably cuddled up on the couch together watching a movie, cute little love birds'._ Jack giggled again, still flipping through the mountain of metal and plastic in her hands. "Ah hah!" triumph shone in her eyes as she finally found the right one.

Adjusting her burden, she brought the key to the keyhole, only to notice that the door was actually slightly ajar. Jack frowned faintly, the icy fingers of dread beginning to slide down into her stomach, making her skin crawl. For the first time she realized Kaylee's car wasn't parked in the driveway. Jack nudged the door open slightly with her foot peering cautiously into the house. Flashes of light and sound shot through the darkness coming from the television in the sitting room; the glow casting moving shadows on the walls. She set the groceries down on the small table beside the entrance. "Alex? Kaylee?" she called softly. Getting no response, she moved on. With each step Jack took, her unease grew. Where was Alex? Even if Kaylee had to go home for some reason, Alex should still be here, right?

Slowly, Jack made her way up the stairs, looking for any clues to suggest what transpired while she was out. As she reached the landing, her breath caught. Alex's door had been kicked in, the wood along the frame cracked and splintered. She rushed into his room, caution thrown to the wind. Other than the door, there looked to be no sign of struggle. For some reason, this worried Jack even more. Then she noticed the small droplets of blood on the carpet beside the window. She felt as though she had just been sucker punched in the gut. They had been doing so well. MI6 finally seemed to be leaving Alex alone. He was almost completely caught up with school. His friends were starting to accept him again. He had a girlfriend. He was happy. '_He was happy'_ the phrase seemed to repeat itself over and over in Jack's stunned mind as she sunk onto his bed, her eyes still trained on the red stained carpet.

As if a lightening bolt had suddenly zapped Jack out of her stupor, she jumped up, whirled around, raced down the hall and picked up the telephone. Her fingers hovered momentarily over the numbers as she made up her mind. With determination in her eyes, she dialed and waited two rings before she heard the click of someone picking up.

"Hello?"

* * *

~oOo~

As the door inched open bit by bit, Alex's shoulders tensed in anticipation, waiting for the unknown. Two men walked in wearing all black and armed with AK-47 automatic rifles. A third man, wearing a tailored suit approached next, he seemed to be in his late thirties, early forties. His hair was a chestnut color with streaks of silver near his temples and his eyes were an icy blue. His features were sharp and strong, as if chiseled from granite. One might even call him handsome, if not for the manic glint in his eyes and the frigid sneer on his lips. Alex could just make out two more guards stationed behind the man on either side of the metal door before it was closed securely.

The space was small to begin with. Now it felt cramped and Alex had to fight back a feeling of claustrophobia, the room was obviously not meant to hold one person, let alone three adult men and a seventeen year old. The man took a step closer, his eyes never wavering from Alex's own chocolate depths. Alex used all his willpower to repress the sudden urge he had to either press himself further against the wall or deck the man invading his space. This man was clearly restricting Alex's space on purpose to make him feel uncomfortable. Alex would not allow his unease to show, instead he stared confidently back at his captor, not moving a muscle. The man's sneer grew slightly and, if possible, his eyes got even colder.

They each stood, studying the other. The seconds stretched into minutes. Finally, Alex broke the standoff. "What do you want?" The man just scoffed and brushed the question to the side.

"I think you've had plenty of time to inspect your surroundings." Amusement flickered across his face. "Let's cut to the chase, shall we?" Alex had to resist a sudden urge to roll his eyes. "I have been employed by two groups, Mr. Rider. The first of which desires your death. I'm sure this news is not at all surprising to you. The second, however, have come into contact with a few… shall we say… items of botany and other natural substances they wish to have tested. I believe both sides will agree that you are the perfect subject for such experiments. I plan on killing two birds with one stone, so to speak. Or, perhaps I will be knocking off two stones with one bird, in this case." The man smiled maliciously and the mad luster in his eyes became even brighter.

Alex's face remained stony, inside his mind was reeling _'This guy's even more round the bend than I first thought.' _Out loud, however he said, "Who are these groups?"

"I don't think I'll tell you." The man responded, his perpetual smile still in place.

"If I'm going to die anyway, what's the harm?" Alex tried casually.

The man regarded Alex for a moment then seemed to come to a conclusion. "No. Let's leave it a mystery, for now at any rate."

'_What's with this guy? Normally I can't get the crazy psychopaths I meet to shut their mouths… and his grin is starting to creepy me out a bit.'_ Alex mentally chided himself. He should know better than to group these people into the crazies he'd met before. He knew nothing, had no information on who this man is or what organization he and his cronies are associated with. He also, apparently, wasn't going to be told who hired them. He needed to focus. Suddenly three months off seemed like a long time. He was out of practice. He had begun to let his guard slip during his down time, an unforgivable mistake that he was paying for now.

"We'll leave you be for a few hours to let what I've said sink in. Then we'll be back to take you to the evaluation room." The man licked his lips in a hungry manner that sent shivers up and down Alex's spine. This was not going to be a pleasant experience, he decided. *

With that the man turned toward the door producing a small silver remote from his inside jacket pocket. He hit a button and the door opened. He walked out his two henchmen in tow and closed the door behind them. Alex was, once again, alone in the small room. Left to his own devices, his thoughts took over as he began to process everything he'd been told and all the events that led up to this instant. Sitting down in the far corner of the room, Alex brought his knees up to his chest and he let his mind wander over a list of possible people and organizations out for his blood. To say the list was extensive would be an understatement. Alex had been the leading expert in pissing off national and international criminal syndicates since the tender age of fourteen. He'd been at it for a little over three years now and had never failed a mission. He was on the top hit list of Scorpia, The Big Circle (Chinese Triad), CST, The Mafia, The Yakuza, The KKK, Al Qaeda, and what's left of the KGB, just to name a few. Alex sighed and ran his hands through his hair. These were going to be a long few hours…

* * *

~oOo~

Kaylee stood in the corner, mindlessly listening to the ding of the elevator and watching as each of the floor levels flashed by. The man standing across from her, also watching the numbers flash, had introduced himself as Ryan Noland, a security guard of the bank. Apparently he worked third shift. _'Lucky me'_ her mind was in such a state, she didn't know if she was being sarcastic or not.

As the two occupants finally arrived at their desired floor, the elevator let out one final ding and a robotic female voice spoke "Level 13, please mind your step". Noland motioned for Kaylee to go first. As she stepped off the elevator, she passed one final scanner, not that she knew. The last of at least ten different security measures before she entered the hallway that housed office spaces meant for meetings with family members of Agents. The Sensors she just passed checked her pulse rate, body temperature, and for any unknown substances she might have on her person. The information was immediately uploaded to the security room computer where it was analyzed by a program designed by a team of specialists, as well as the specialists themselves. If all was clear, then a small light located in center of the smoke detector would flash green and the meeting would proceed as planned. If not, then the light would flash red, there would be an immediate lockdown, and the Agent escorting the subject would subdue the threat. The entire procedure took less than two minutes and fifty-three seconds.

After seeing the green blinking light of the smoke detector, Agent Noland had taken the lead in order to show Kaylee the way to the office. He didn't envy the girl who would get a private meeting with the two heads. Repressing a shudder at the thought of sitting across from the Cold Grey Man and his Severe Peppermint-Sucking Second in Command for an extended period of time, Agent Noland raised his right hand and knocked three times on the door, making sure to leave exactly one second of space between each knock. Another procedure to let whom ever is inside know the situation is a green light.

Kaylee was blissfully unaware of all the proceedings that had taken place since she had begun crossing the street to enter the Royal and General Bank. After exiting the elevator, she had allowed Mr. Noland to pass her, following a few steps behind. Her thoughts were still with Alex. She was beginning to get angry with herself. Was she really such a coward? She just let them take him! _'You did what he asked. Not like you could have done much anyway.'_ A small voice argued back. A small sigh escaped her mouth, knowing it was true. Her self-defense was basic at best and those men looked like professionals. _'He had been so serious'_. Kaylee was so caught up in her thoughts, she nearly bumped right into the security guard. Trying to cover her slight embarrassment, Kaylee moved around Noland and glanced about the hallway, studying a few insipid paintings on the walls before stopping next to the security guard. He raised his fist and knocked on a plain wooden door marked 1312.

"Enter" was the bland reply. As the door swung open and her eyes landed on the two people in the room, Kaylee felt a small shiver run down her back. Who were these people?

* * *

* Really thought about ending that section here :)

LONGEST CHAPTER YET! :D Thank you for reading! :) Oh! I'm looking for a beta, so send me a message if you're interested! :) Also, I'm American (in case you couldn't tell ;p haha) I'm trying really hard to make sure I keep up with Alex's world, and part of that is making sure the things I write are culturally correct in the UK. Sometimes I miss the smaller, everyday things (like the legal age for driving ;) thanks again to Ryuusquall for asking about ages!). If you notice I've made a mistake or something isn't correct, please let me know! I am COMPLETELY open for constructive criticism. I want to become a better writer and I want to this Fic to be written in the style an Alex Rider fic should be. So if you notice an American-ism (and Jack or some other specified American isn't saying it) PLEASE let me know! :)


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